The elves in LOTR always struck me as an effete lot. From the dictionary:

1. decadent, overrefined.
2. Weak
3. barren

If they’re so wonderful, why wasn’t that place crawling with children? It reminds me of one of Parkinson’s laws, where he observed that any organization that actually fit perfectly into its headquarters building was an organization which was dying.

Uggghh I hate that part. Maybe you can eplain it to me. I never got an answer not even from someone that’s read the book but.. what the hell is this Age of Man shit? It’s never explained in the moive, if it is it’s so forgetable that I have no recolaction of it. They never explain why the elves leave and why they simply can’t just live ni the forests. Legolas himself lived very near to Aragon till the time of the King’s death before hopping on the boat to..Middle-America?. Maybe the Movies should have sacrifices some of there 92 endings and just explained things

Lastly… Anyone else here wish they had done the Scourge of the Shine battle?

Although I’m probably misremembering the Silmarillion, I always got the impression that the number of Elves incarnated at any one particular time was explicitly limited by the number of Elven souls, leading to an inherently stable population (but declining numbers in Middle Earth, due to departures for Valinor).

The alternative explanation is that the number of Elves is strictly predetermined by the music of the Ainur. I never understood exactly how it could be that beings whose fates are explicitly predetermined (Elves, Valar, Maiar) could interact with beings whose fates were not (Humans), though. It strikes me that upon first contact with the Humans any Elf’s fate would have to be altered. I suppose it could be more that Elves are all bound by an eventual “racial destiny” rather than strict individual predetermination, though.

besides, maybe they have great sex and don’t need children. Having lots of children certainly doesn’t make you happier, especially if you’re immortal and don’t age. Imagine having 650 great great-great-grandchildren dropped off at your house Saturday evening.

Oh yes according to other Tolkien writings the elves enjoy sex very much (,,the union of love is indeed great delight and joy for them”) and they very much love their children so try to have one at a time to pay enough time for raising them and then can have another. Also the children don’t need that much governing and teaching cause they’re smart and learn quickly, before their first year they can speak, walk and dance and are very happy, delighted in discovering the world (an elf reaches adulthood at about 50 years and some still continue to grow to about 100 similar how human can be considered adult at age 18 and still physically develop to about 25 or so). The number of children was never that great, Feanor seven sons are exceptional as upper limit, the average number was four at one family (and still there were thosuands of elves, tens of thousands in single realm, if not more, but specifically we were given numbers for armies which are only smaller part of overal population adn there were many elven realms to begin with).
On the other note the eternal search for stores for shopping is funny but there are many of those in Middle Earth :), in the Shire we have many small businesses and trades, workshops, forges, werehouses, then we have many dwarven merchants travelling here and there, in Rivendell there might be some services for travellers we know that elven valley had many visitors so might have served as resupply outpost :) you know it’s after all the Last Homely House at the Edge of the Wilderland :):):). Elrond kept some wealth in his halls hehe.

While you have a limit of 10d6 for a fireball, the range does increase past level 10, thus making it, potentially, more powerful as it gains further levels. What if there’s something highly combustible surrounding your foes, but they are more than 404 ft away (that being the range for a level 10)? The higher level fireball might be able to get the job done, and keep all the players from having to get too close to the blast, while eliminating, (or, at least, most likely causing harm to) multiple foes with a single action! n.n; … Love the comic! I know the feeling of players not taking to your NPCs like you’re expecting. I run a Forgotten Realms campaign, and I had a student of Blackstaff Tower rescue my players from slavery at the hands of ‘Old Hulfast’ in Waterdeep’s Dockward… they ignored her, insulted her, badgered her, did multiple spot and knowledge checks on her jewelry, and seduced her male underling. XD Players seem to have all kinds of surprises for us, even if we expect it to be the other way around. (p.s. Sorry for babbling so much… n.n;)

you’re forgetting also the inherent benefit of meta-magic feats like empower and maximise which are only doable at higher level spell slots. I’d also like to point out that if there’s a highly combustible substance 404 ft away from a lvl10 fireball it will still hit it on account of the radius of the spell.
I like to spod :P

“Yes, black dragons are powerful. So are level-20 fireballs, demi-gods, and huge mythic beasts. But there is no force in the game as powerful as the combined selfishness and apathy of your players.” LOL MY SECOND FAVE SAYING!!!! :D :) =) :’)

“Yes, black dragons are powerful. So are level-20 fireballs, demi-gods, and huge mythic beasts. But there is no force in the game as powerful as the combined selfishness and apathy of your players.”

…Yet when you try and fix what bothers them, they declare how you’re “deviating from tradition”. I suppose they’re fans of spinning wheels, doing nothing but arguing and second-guessing the DM whenever they feel it necessary?

Only in the movie. In the book, Bilbo left right after his Eleventy-first Birthday Party (which doubled as Frodo’s 33rd, hence the 144 special guests who heard Bilbo’s speech).
So far, same as the movie, but in the book, the Ring sits on Frodo’s mantelpiece until Gandalf does his whole “Is it secret? Is it safe?” bit when Frodo is 50-something. And, of course, in the book, Merry, Pippin and Fatty Bolger (not in the film) were in on it and helped Frodo and Sam pack. Fatty never left the Shire, having stayed to cover their absence, but the others did, and wound up meeting Bombadil, etc.

It isn’t clear in the film how long passes. I mean, it was long enough for Gandalf to ride all the way to Gondor and back at the very least. Still, you never get given the impression that that long had passed.

oh God. another perfect strip. aaah i love this. i dont know why, but the whole “Great. So, is there anyplace I can buy a horse” just made me crack up for like a minute and a half. mostly because
a.) in the book they’re only like 3’8″ and can’t ride even ride a horse
b.) its just so out of character its funny.

To be Fair this DM is just as bad as the Players. I’ve never seen a DM this adimit you can’t visit a shop before. And Horses, those are expensive, a perfect excuse for sidequests and lore building galore and he’s so obsessed with his plot rails he’s passing every chance by. I mean Yesh I’m in a 5e game right now. We all see the Plot rails and know what needs done but we have alot we can do on those rails. I know this guy isn’t real but this is just the worst DM I’ve ever seen